If you could get rid of one thing from the cricketing scene...

[Arjun]

What I said first.

 

[silentstriker]

Andrew Symonds

Hmm, I'll make a list:

1. Hayden
2. Ponting
3. Clarke
4. Symonds
5. Dhoni
6. Sreesanth
7. Harbhajan
8. Akhtar
9. Nel

Off the top of my head. Add two more people and you'd have the most annoying XI in world history.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Hmm, I'll make a list:

1. Hayden
2. Ponting
3. Clarke
4. Symonds
5. Dhoni
6. Sreesanth
7. Harbhajan
8. Akhtar
9. Nel

Off the top of my head. Add two more people and you'd have the most annoying XI in world history.

I know you've already got Dhoni as keeper, but Prior would surely be very disappointed to miss out on any "most annoying" XI.

 

[Burgey]

I know you've already got Dhoni as keeper, but Prior would surely be very disappointed to miss out on any "most annoying" XI.

Nixon ftw.

 

[Richard]

Was waiting for that, my only question was "will it be Burgey or SOC?"

 

[morgieb]

You could remove a few guys and we'd have a better game..

Hayden
Harbhajan
Sreesanth
Symonds

Add Ricky Pointing to the list and I'll agree also.

 

[morgieb]

Hmm, I'll make a list:

1. Hayden
2. Ponting
3. Clarke
4. Symonds
5. Dhoni
6. Sreesanth
7. Harbhajan
8. Akhtar
9. Nel

Off the top of my head. Add two more people and you'd have the most annoying XI in world history.

Interesting to see that all of the above apart from Akhtar and Nel are Australian or Indian

 

[Protean]

Morgieb's avatar is confusing me!

 

[Burgey]

Morgieb's avatar is confusing me!

Me too!!

Add Yuvraj to the list. Seriously, he just doesn't look like he cares atm, so why bother? Shame, coz he can smoke 'em at times.

 

[Precambrian]

Dunno what is this hatred for ICL and IPL for? They pay guys from all countries like hell, and IPL, the only thing which contracts non retired players, hardly intrudes into the international schedule. (You play 11 games a year, each of them hardly 3.5 hours long). It's good entertainment and good money. Why the fuss? Jeez, it doesnt KILL cricket for gossake. If in the future, any test matches get scrapped for accomodating 20-20, I'll be the first person to take to the streets.

As ith the ICL, it is hardly having the pull and glamour that IPL has. A bunch of local players who found it difficult to make it in the domestic competition and another bunch of old retired internationals. Let them play, make money, who cares?

If the current state continues, it will not be long before ICL is disbanded.

 

[Precambrian]

Yep, two things I want to be removed is

1. Test status to Bangladesh
2. Flat pitches. (It was a joke watching the recent Indo-Pak series, where pitches were so terrible that Anil Kumble started to bowl seam up, and the batsmen who were so lazily prodding around, suddenly got zapped, and Kumble got a Fifer!). The recent CB series was excellent in that respect, where the batsmen earned their runs. I would like to see lengthened boundaries and spin dens for coming Aus in India series.

 

[simmy]

Flat pitches without a doubt!

Subcontinent test cricket is such a chore sometimes whereas in England it is generally compelling (weather permitting hehe).

 

[simmy]

Oh and I would get rid of Andre Nel obv.

 

[Jamee999]

I hope it went something like this:

(All dates circa 3 or 4 days)
March-April - Australian tour to wherever finishes, no more cricket for their players until their home season starts in October.
1 September - international season finishes.
22 September - domestic season finishes.
23 September - 9 October - no Champions Trophy or other ODI tournament
10 October - team fly for Australia.
12-17 October - acclimatisation, jetlag shaking-off, nets, 12-a-side pipe-opener against PM's\CA Chairman's XII at Allan Border Field.
18-21 October - 11-a-side game vs NSW\SA\Vic.
24-27 October - 11-a-side game vs SA\NSW\Vic.
31 October - 2 November - 11-a-side game vs Qld.
5-9 November - First Test, The 'Gabba.
12-14 November - 11-a-side game vs Tas.
19-23 November - Second Test, Bellerive Oval.
27-30 November - 11-a-side game vs Vic\SA\NSW.
1-5 December - Third Test, Adelaide Oval.
7-10 December - 11-a-side game vs WA.
12-16 December - Fourth Test, The WACA.
18-21 December - 11-a-side game vs Aus A at Canberra.
26-30 December - Fifth Test, The MCG.
2-6 January - Sixth Test, The SCG
11 January - 11-a-side game vs Qld\NSW\Vic\SA\Tas.
13 January - 11-a-side game vs NSW\Vic\Qld\SA\Tas.
16 January - 11-a-side game vs Aus A at Canberra.
18 January - 10 February - C&U\VB\CB Series (yeah, I know it HAS been abandonded, but I wish it hadn't been), 3 rounds, 3 (scheduled) finals.
11-12 February - England depart for home, with NO WORLD CUP or any other cricket until pre-season starts in early\mid-March.

ODIs first. England should always play ODIs first. Found my spreadsheet btw. I'm talking about sheet number 3 (England in Aus 2010-11), allthough SA in England 2008 is my idea of an English home year, but I'm not too happy with it.

 

[Richard]

ODIs first doesn't work in Australia (at least, didn't in tri-series days, which as I say I wish were still here - what will happen when we go back to bilateral times we wait to see). Elsewhere, with England, it is indeed best.

 

[.:Puma:.]

I would get rid of the T20 World Cup. I think it defeats the purpose of cricket because it's so damn short.

 

[grecian]

Oh and I would get rid of Andre Nel obv.

Amen

 

[unccricket]

I would definitely get rid of flat/dead pitches - they make matches terrible to watch, unless you like to see teams rack up 600-odd over 2.5 days and kill a result.

I would also reduce the amount of international games being played, it gets repetitive to watch the same teams play like 10 matches in a row...

 

[Richard]

Flat pitches without a doubt!

Subcontinent test cricket is such a chore sometimes whereas in England it is generally compelling (weather permitting hehe).

Hmm... last summer was the first time in 6 seasons where there was a proper English summer of pitches and ball usage. In 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2006 (brief hiatus in 2005 with the of-times sensational bowling) run-scoring in this country was ridiculously easy, at least as easy as pretty much anywhere in The World.

 

[bunny]

The thick bats. Along with flat pitches and the presence of minnows, these are the biggest culprits in making cricket uninteresting.